Swimming apparatus.



N0. 64|,|80. Patented Jan. 9, I900.

J. S. BARTHULOMEW.

SWIMMING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 13, 1899.) (No ode 2 Sheets-Sheet 1..

Sim/m f f @/7Z20/0/7 aw: 527 r I No. 64I,l80. Patented Jan. 9, 1900.

J. S. BARTHOLOMEW.

SWIMMING APPARATUS.

(Application filed Apr. 13, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Unrrnn @TATES PATENT much.

JAMES S. BARTHOLOMEVV, OF GUERNEVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

SWIMMING APPARATUS.

SFECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,180, dated January 9, 1900.

' Applicat on fi ed April 13; 1899. Serial No. 712,837. (No model.)

To all whom it may OOH/06772:

Be it known that 1, JAMES S. BARTHOLO- MEW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Guerneville, in the county of Sonoma and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Swimming Apparatus; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain novel improvements in buoyant swimming apparatus; and the object is to simplify and improve the construction and increase the efficiency and convenience of manipulation.

To these ends the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of the several elements of the device, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the same reference characters indicate the same parts of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved swimming apparatus as it appears when adjusted to the operator. Fig. 2 shows the operator in the water and the position of the apparatus during the propelling strokes of the arms and legs. Fig. 3 is a similar view to show the position of the apparatus during the secondary strokes. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the foot and leg fins at rest and with the leg and foot shown in dotted lines.

7 denotes a flexible or elastic garter adjustably encompassing the leg, and to which is pivoted a series of arms 8 8, the outer ends of which are secured to the flexible fabric 9, having its inner edge secured to the garter, as shown, and from the outer ends of the arms 8 8 series of cords 10 10 extend to a common point on the elastic cord 12, the opposite end of which is fixed to a staple 13 on the heel of the buoyant or fioatable sandal 14, which is secured to the foot by the straps 15 16.

The sandal 14: is provided with two lateral and longitudinally-hinged buoyant wings 17 and 18, which open out in the same plane with the sandal when the foot is extended and which fold in to follow in the wake of the foot on the recovery stroke, so as to offer no resistance to the water.

When the operator desires to leave the water and walk on the ground, the wing 17 is first folded in on the bottom of the sandal and the opposite wing 18 folded down on top of the wing 17, and its outer edge is provided with a staple 19 to engage a hook 20 on the contiguous edge of the sandal to secure the wings in place, and thus permit the operator to walk on the ground without experiencing any inconvenience whatever.

The accompanying-drawings show my invention in the best form now known to me; but many changes in the details might be made within the skill of a good mechanic without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the claims at the end of this specification.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

ter to the outer ends of said arms, the sandal and the cords extending from the outer endsof said arms to said sandal, substantially as HBSSQS.

. JAMES S. BARTHOLOMEW.

Witnesses:

O. L. MOBLEY, WILLIAM H. POOL. 

